Check out some video highlights on the pens website - Dumoulins goal was pretty sweet, as was that backhand shootout move on the last part of the video... not sure who it was, but I think it was Marcantouni. Good stuff. Thanks for the reviews.

The problem facing Despres, Dumoulin, and Morrow is how stacked the team is at the position. Letang, Orpik, Martin, Niskanen, Engelland, Lovejoy, Strait, Bortuzzo, and Reese all have to clear waivers to be sent down. Reese is the only one that would. Those three don't have to clear and since they're not going to stay up if they aren't playing, they not only need to play their way into the top 6, they have to do so by a wide enough margin for the team to be willing to lose someone else for nothing. The blueline may be slightly less clogged by the time camp rolls around, but as it stands now, they have a pretty tough road in front of them.

netwolf wrote:The problem facing Despres, Dumoulin, and Morrow is how stacked the team is at the position. Letang, Orpik, Martin, Niskanen, Engelland, Lovejoy, Strait, Bortuzzo, and Reese all have to clear waivers to be sent down. Reese is the only one that would. Those three don't have to clear and since they're not going to stay up if they aren't playing, they not only need to play their way into the top 6, they have to do so by a wide enough margin for the team to be willing to lose someone else for nothing. The blueline may be slightly less clogged by the time camp rolls around, but as it stands now, they have a pretty tough road in front of them.

It's a problem, but its the type of problem every team would love to have! I expect Shero to move one or more of Lovejoy, Engelland, Strait and Bortuzzo before the start of the season, but even then the only player I feel is a lock for the Pens is Despres. Dumoulin or Morrow could force their way on though if they have good camps.

Just based on the teams past actions i would expect Morrow and Dumoulin to start out in the AHL, just to give them some pro experience.

Despres is the one i would guess the team are expecting/hoping will claim a starting 6 spot out of camp.

Letang, Orpik, Martin, Niskanen, Despres

I think Engelland probably sticks around just on the toughness he brings, either as the 6th or 7th dman depending on the opponent.

That leaves Lovejoy, Strait & Bortuzzo battling for either 1 or 2 spots. People always assume the worst and that players wouldnt clear waivers but they are more likely to at the end of camps when every other team is also waiving their own 8th and 9th Dmen.

Next summer Morrow and Dumoulin should be making the team if all goes well.

Next again Scott Harrington is probably ready.

Then its Mattaa and Pouliot the following year.

And inbetween that Shero is hopefully moving on prospects like Bortuzzo, Sneep, D'Agostino, Samuelsson etc for additional draft picks or as parts of larger deals once those guys have had a taste of the NHL and their value is up.

I don't see how we are not opening the season with at least 8 if not 9 defenseman. Lovejoy is a solid NHL player but he's at the end of the road now and Strait and Bortuzzo have more upside. We'll lose him on waivers but that's fine.

At some point though this organization needs to risk waivers if players are ready. If say Morrow, Despres and Dumoulin need to be playing every night in the NHL then they need to risk Strait, Bortuzzo and maybe even Engellend.

Letang Is The Truth wrote:Who was the biggest surprise of the camp? Disappointment?

The Penguins used three goalies, with Sean Maguire and Matt Murray alternating for the White Team. Undrafted goalie Ryan Faragher of St. Cloud State, who handled the entire afternoon for the Black Team, enjoyed the added work.“I showed them I’m a hard worker,” Faragher said. “I compete to the end. That’s just the kind of person I am. I come from a blue-collar family. That’s the kind of work ethic I have.”Faragher, 22, hopes a good college season this fall could draw a professional offer.

I can't speak to how often Velischek played forward in college, but I would guess him playing forward yesterday had more to do with the roster than it did with any potential position switch.

As for overall impressions, I don't really like to tag anyone a disappointment. It's a summer development camp. The purpose is to educate these kids on what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. Sure, there are evaluations going on, but that's secondary.

That qualification aside, I suppose I would have liked to have seen a little more from Pouliot and Maatta. Again though, they're among the youngest there and not everyone is going to do what Morrow and Harrington did last year.

I had never heard about Andrej Sustr before this camp. I don't know if I'm just overly impressed with his skill level because you don't expect it from a 6'7" kid, or if he's just good, but I really don't know how he's slipped through three drafts. I have no clue if he pans out into an NHL defenseman, but based on this week, he seems like a heck of a prospect. If Shero could convince him to sign here at some point, I certainly wouldn't mind. Thing is, if Sustr wants to finish school, he won't be in a hurry to sign anywhere, and if he is interested in a contract, there are a lot of organizations with less crowded bluelines. He was at Rangers prospect camp last year, Ottawa has supposedly been looking at him, and reportedly scouts from 20 different teams watched him at some point last year. Even if the Penguins are interested, which is unknown, the decision is 100% Sustr's.

As for guys the Penguins do have the rights to, Teddy Blueger showed he's got great hands and creativity. Matia Marcantuoni wasn't a surprise, but he backed up what I had read about him - a ton of speed, pretty good shot, and great work ethic. Alex Velischek looks like another decent puckmoving defenseman. Kenny Agostino isn't flashy, but he has a good shot, doesn't hesitate to go into traffic, and is really good at using his body to protect the puck.

The Penguins used three goalies, with Sean Maguire and Matt Murray alternating for the White Team. Undrafted goalie Ryan Faragher of St. Cloud State, who handled the entire afternoon for the Black Team, enjoyed the added work.“I showed them I’m a hard worker,” Faragher said. “I compete to the end. That’s just the kind of person I am. I come from a blue-collar family. That’s the kind of work ethic I have.”Faragher, 22, hopes a good college season this fall could draw a professional offer.